Teaching Staff
Lezley Meyer: Owner/Director & Instructor
Lezley has been teaching Jazz, Lyrical, and Ballet for 34 years. She is currently the Director/Choreographer of Ignite Dance Co. She began her dance training with Jody Grant, and began teaching at the age of 16. Lezley danced professionally in Branson, Mo., but returned to her love of teaching after just a few years of performing. Her heart was always in the dance studio. Lezley has been a staff member at Destination Dance (in L.A), and Adrenaline Remix (nationwide). She judges for many regional and national competitions and enjoys teaching master classes and sharing her choreography nationwide. Lezley's choreography has received national awards and recognition. Many of her students have pursued successful careers in the industry as performers and instructors. Lezley also has 25 years (and counting!) of judging experience with many national competitions.
Adia Richardson: Competition & Recreational Instructor
Adia is starting her 21st season dancing and teaching for Lezley. After her 15 year dance career with Lezley as a competitive dancer she went on to study Dance Science at Texas A&M. In 2020, Adia graduated with her degree in dance and ventured off to teach middle school dance for Dallas ISD. Adia is excited to return home to both teach at the studio she grew up in, but also to create a middle school dance program for Midway ISD. Adia has traveled statewide, nationally and internationally to dance, participate/present research and set choreography. She sits on the TAHPERD Dance committee and is an active member of IADMS. She is ready to get back to Waco and do some great things in the community and with Ignite!
McKenzie Urteaga: Competition & Recreational Instructor
McKenzie danced under Lezley Meyer’s instruction for 16 years. She started competing at the age of 3. McKenzie graduated from University of North Texas where she danced competitively for the North Texas Dancers for 2 years. She danced professionally for the Panther City Lacrosse team for a full season and hopes to become a professional dancer for an NBA or NFL team in the near future. McKenzie has taught various ages and levels of dance and loves to watch the kids grow and become the best versions of themselves.
Melana Johnson: Competition & Recreational Instructor
Melana was born and raised in China Spring, Texas. She spent 15 years in studio dance before she started teaching. During high school Melana spent four years on the Electric Blues dance team where she was lieutenant her junior year and captain her senior year. She went on to dance at the collegiate level, where she helped the McLennan Community College Dance Company claim an NDA National title. Melana joined the Texas A&M Corpus Christi dance team while receiving a degree in education. She is currently a first grade teacher at China Spring Primary. Melana coached the China Spring Electric Blues for three years until she became a mom to her baby girl, Saige. She trains in all forms of dance but especially enjoys hip-hop and jazz.
Meredith Sutton: Pointe & Ballet Instructor
Meredith Sutton is the dance teacher and choreographer for the Department of Theatre Arts at Baylor University. She teaches ballet, tap, and jazz, choreographs department musicals, mentors student choreographers, and serves as an advisor to the Baylor Dance Company. Recent shows include Anna Karenina, Crazy For You, Fiddler on the Roof, Legally Blonde, and Footloose. She holds an MFA in Directing from Baylor University and a BFA in Dance Performance from West Texas A&M University. She is the mother of four amazing boys.
Lauren Huhn: Recreational Instructor, Office Manager, & Social Media
Lauren is a recent Texas transplant! She started dancing and competing at the age of 9, in the San Francisco Bay Area. During her years as a dancer, she has trained in many styles including: Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Lyrical, and Contemporary. During those years, she was privileged to train with award winning teachers/choreographers such as Mia Michaels, Tyce Diorio, Tabitha & Napolean D’umo. She started assisting and teaching when she was 17 at her studio in California. She took some time off from dancing to start her family, but is excited to breathe new life into her teaching career in the Heart of Texas. Lauren’s teaching style puts an emphasis on fundamentals and strong technique and hopes to instill her love of dance in her students.
Alex Turley: Recreational Instructor
Alex is beginning her 19th season of dancing, with 15 years of training under Lezley as a competitive dancer. In December 2022, she graduated from Texas State University with a BFA in performance and choreography. Since then, she has toured nationally with the Chicago Honey Bear Dancers, appeared in a music video for Jordan Smith, the winner of Season 9 of The Voice, and choreographed for various Texas dance festivals and charity events. Now back in Waco, Alex is eager to share her passion for dance with the next generation while continuing to perform and choreograph.
JoAnn Beheler: Recreational Instructor
Jo has been dancing since she was three years old and started teaching at age 15. She loves teaching all styles of dance, but enjoys sharing her passion for tap the most. Jo has taught at studios in the Waco and Hewitt areas, and has coached numerous drill teams. She started the Moody Dance Team at Moody High School in 2012, and currently directs the Lorena Legacy. In the Spring season, Jo judges for the HTE Dance Competitions all across Texas. When Jo isn't teaching dance, she is the Family and Consumer Science teacher at Lorena High School. Jo also loves traveling, going to concerts, baking, and spending time with her family and dogs. This will be her seventh year at Ignite. She loves getting to share her passion for dance with her students at Ignite.
Leia Ulibarri: Junior Staff Member
Leia has been dancing for 14 years and 9 of those years she has spent with Ignite. Leia has competed with Ignite for around 5 years. Leia is a Senior at China Spring High School and is involved in many clubs and events. Leia is also apart of her high school dance team, the Electric Blues, where she serves as Captain. This is Leia’s first year working at Ignite and she is excited to grow as a dancer and help inspire others. Leia plans to attend Baylor University after high school to study Physical Therapy and continue growing her passion for dance while staying connected to Ignite!
Office Staff
Rachel Chapman: Website Manager
Rachel, most commonly known as "Peanut", danced under the instruction of Lezley Meyer for 15 years. She then went on to teach for Lezley during her time in college at Tarleton State University. Rachel is now the manager of the website and from time to time, you can catch her substitute teaching a class or two!
Audrey Carney: Dance Mom, Front Desk
Audrey Carney is an Ignite Dance Company dance mom. She works the front desk once a week, but can be found around Ignite all the time because of her two daughters. Sophia, 12 years old, has been dancing at Ignite since she was 6 years old. Anna, 11 years old, has been dancing at Ignite since she was 7 years old. Both girls are members of the competition team. Ignite is such a large part of their lives that Audrey is excited to be a part of the office staff crew!